The Journey Begins: Moors, Ferries, and Flanders...North Shields, UK to Brussels, Belgium (17 June to 24 June 2014)

After no small amount of planning, logistics and goodbyes, and with loads of slightly-nervous excitement, we got off on the early morning of 17 June from our flat in North Shields... 

The Shields ferry, which we raced to catch and made by seconds.   A rather grey and drizzly morning to begin on...

Bo not really knowing quite what's happening yet... but sensing something is different.

the North Sea at South Shields.

We rode through Sunderland (no photos as Katy -being a Geordie - objected completely) and entered an old rail line here heading in the direction of Middlesborough.  Mam and Bo stretching their legs out.

had some great riding as we followed the National Cycle Route 1 south...

not always smooth and sometimes no place for the trailers, but great adventure anyway.

whoever said walking was easy?  Every moment out of the trailer Bo is exploring all over the place.

taking a break before Middlesborough, note the England flag flying as some of us have high hopes for the national team in Brazil.

due to unforeseen routefinding difficulties, our first day ended in a hotel on the outskirts of Middlesborough - unplanned and undesirable.  Middlesborough - as incredible as it seems - makes Sunderland seem like a nice place!    Truth be told, the Blue Bell here was a comfortable rest for us and we left the next day with renewed spirits.

Bo made a game of pushing the hotel's patio chairs all over while we readied our bikes.

We had originally intended to follow Cycle Route 1 until Hull.  However, wanting to avoid future routefinding difficulties and heavy traffic in places, we opted to make our own way over the beautiful North Yorkshire Moors.  Here's Katy on a longish climb.

roadside foxglove

this kind of riding is what its all about: no traffic, perfect weather, great scenery.

stopped for a picnic at a playpark, Bo made the most of the slide and swing and also managed to cover his face in yogurt...

descending a gorgeous stretch of moorland in mid-evening.

our first campsite of what will be many...

a morning break and lots of playing

now heading up into the Yorkshire Wolds.

green is the theme, and quiet country roads perfect for riding

cool thatched house in the wolds

right, which way were we going again?

classic wolds landscape

stopped to picnic at a middle-ages church with the following stained glass:

arrived in Beverley, we are hosted by a welcoming WarmShowers couple, John and Kayo. ( WarmShowers is a touring cyclist hospitality network.)  Pictured above are the slinging moms, Katy and Kayo.

Maya and Bodhi having a good time.

the cathedral in Beverley, definitely worth a visit, and featuring middle-ages minstrels in place of gargoyles:

John and Kayo give us a send-off from Beverley.

in the port of Hull, about to board the overnight ferry to Zeebrugge, Belgium

The little one took an instant liking to the ferry's (read cruise ship's) long daft halls and ran about like a madman.

14 hours later and arriving in Zeebrugge, he was at it again on the decks.

Katy cycles off the massive vessel.

now in Flanders, we take advantage of the Flemish cycling route network which provides mostly traffic-free, flat, and delightful riding. 

entering the old town in Bruges.  It looks peaceful here, but on this sunny Saturday we had to eventually flee the tourists and crowds, who had overrun the city.

classic Flanders countryside

a riverside picnic break

Jeff pictured as we make our way through the delightful city of Ghent.  The city is alive with bicycles, art, and cafes.

In Wettering, just outside of Ghent, we are hosted by WS hosts Pieterjan and Lies.  We had a great stay with them and their kids as we continued towards Brussels.

Bodhi hams it up with some Flemish locals

would you believe that this is the Camino de Santiago from Holland to Spain?  Bodhi is getting a head start on an eventual pilgrimage.

what a moment in the historic heart of Brussels.

the Grand Place of Brussels, dominating the historic quarter.

Bo was challenged by the uneven pavement and the many passerbys.

We made a visit to the Rene Magritte museum and Bo loved some of his surrealist works.

... he also made friends with various museum-goers.

taking a breather with Mammy.

we weren't gonna let this pass us by: fresh Belgian waffles sold streetside and smothered with kiwi fruit and chocolate sauce!

all the activity led to a nap on Dad's chest.

look who Bo is rooting for in the World Cup!

We were hosted near Brussels by Jeff's friend Arnaud, with whom he had cycled and mountaineered previously in South America.  By some cosmic fate, we were able to stay three nights in a house with huge lawn, indoor pool, world cup matches on the tv, and plenty of stuff to keep Bo busy.  Here Katy gives him a dip in the pool.

and here is Arnaud, proud and beaming before the Atomium, Brussels landmark.